Evan says it was predictable weekend in New York sports, from Juan Soto and Aaron Judge mashing their way to a series sweep from the Yankees, to the Mets blowing a ninth-inning lead after getting blown out the day before, and the Rangers’ best players coming up small when it mattered most.
“If we’re being honest with ourselves, what we saw on Saturday night down in Sunrise, Florida, was predictable,” Evan said. “I sat here and genuinely thought, ‘This is different. They’re going to win the Stanley Cup.’ In the end, it was the same crap, just dressed up different than a year ago or two years ago.”
Evan ripped Artemi Panarin for once again coming up “small” in the Eastern Conference Final, and waiting until the series was basically over in game six, when he scored his first goal of the series with 90 seconds left and New York trailing by two. Again, Evan kicked himself for thinking that this playoff run would be different, especially after the team flopped against the hated Devils in the first round last year, and bowing out in the Eastern Conference Final against the Lightning in 2022 despite holding a 2-0 series lead and a lead in game three.
“As we sit here today with a clear head, why are we surprised that Artemi Panarin no-showed in the Eastern Conference Final?” Evan said. “Why are we surprised that Jacob Trouba is one of the worst captains in the history of hockey? We can’t be surprised!
“We’ve been fooled three times. We’re at No. 3.”